A network composed of a primary segment, in which a management server, a primary distribution server, and a data storage server are disposed, and a secondary segment, in which a plurality of targets connected to the primary segment via a router which does not support multicast, serves as an object. When a multicast distribution request is received at the management server, a secondary distribution server is temporarily built and operated on a particular target of the secondary segment, data is transmitted by unicast from the data storage server to the secondary distribution server via the router, and the data is transmitted by multicast from the secondary distribution server to the targets on the same segment.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A multicast distribution system distributing data to a plurality of targets, comprises: a network comprising a primary segment, in which a management server, a first distribution server, a plurality of secondary distribution servers and a data storage server are disposed, and a secondary segment, in which a plurality of targets connected to the primary segment via a router are disposed the plurality of secondary distribution servers disposed in the network and each of the plurality of targets is assigned to one of the plurality of secondary distribution servers, each of the plurality of secondary distribution servers including an agent program that enables each secondary distribution server to process multicast communication by receiving an activation request, the management server configured to receive a multicast distribution request, to transmit the activation request to the plurality of agent programs in the plurality of secondary distribution servers, and to confirm with each of the agent programs whether the each of the plurality of secondary distribution server is activated; an agent operating unit provided in any one of the plurality of targets disposed in the secondary segment and building and operating an agent; a distribution server activating unit provided in the agent and building and activating one of the secondary distribution servers on the target based on distribution server activating information, which is requested to and received from the management server, when a distribution server activating command is received from the management server; a distribution server connection ordering unit provided in the management server and transmitting a distribution server connection command to a plurality of the targets except for the target, in which the agent is built, when an activation completion notification is received from the one of the secondary distribution servers; a distribution server connecting unit provided in each of the plurality of targets and establishing connection with the one of the secondary distribution servers when the distribution server connection command is received from the management server; and a multicast distribution unit provided in each of the secondary distribution servers, acquiring and temporarily retaining data from the data storage server when connection of all of the plurality of targets is confirmed, and then distributing the data to the plurality of targets by multicast wherein when the management server receives the multicast distribution request, the management server transmits the activation request, confirms all of the plurality of secondary distribution server are activated, and requests the first distribution server to distribute date by multicasting.
A system for distributing data to multiple target devices on a network. The network has a primary segment with a management server, a primary distribution server, secondary distribution servers, and a data storage server. A secondary segment contains target devices connected to the primary segment via a router that does not support multicast. Each target is assigned to a secondary distribution server, which has an agent program enabling multicast communication upon activation. The management server receives a distribution request, activates agent programs in secondary distribution servers, and verifies their activation status. An agent on one target builds/activates a secondary distribution server using information from the management server. The management server instructs other targets to connect to this server. Each secondary distribution server acquires data from the data storage server after all targets connect and then multicasts the data to the connected targets. When the management server receives a multicast distribution request, it transmits an activation request, confirms that all secondary distribution servers are activated, and requests the first distribution server to distribute data by multicasting.
2. The multicast distribution system according to claim 1 , characterized in that the management server registers and manages agent management information representing the target, in which the agent is built, for each of one or a plurality of the secondary segment, recognizes the target, in which the agent is built, according to the agent management information when a multicast distribution request is received, and transmits the distribution server activating command to the target.
The multicast distribution system, as described above, includes a management server that stores information about which target device hosts the agent for each secondary network segment. When a multicast distribution request is received, the management server uses this information to identify the specific target device with the agent and sends the distribution server activation command directly to that target. This allows the system to reliably activate the necessary secondary distribution server.
3. The multicast distribution system according to claim 2 , characterized in that, when the agent is present on a plurality of the targets disposed in the secondary segment, the management server registers and manages the target, which is autonomously determined based on exchange of resource information of the plurality of targets, in the agent management information as a transmission destination target of the distribution server activating command.
The multicast distribution system from above is expanded so that if multiple targets within a secondary segment could host the agent, the management server registers and manages the target that is automatically selected. This target is selected based on resource information exchanged between the multiple targets (e.g., CPU load, memory usage). The selected target is then registered within the management server as the destination for the distribution server activation command, so the system always has an available distribution server.
4. The multicast distribution system according to claim 3 , characterized in that the target having highest CPU performance, the target having a highest memory capacity, or the target having a highest priority set by a user in advance is determined as the transmission destination target of the distribution server activating command.
In the multicast distribution system described in the two previous claims, the selection of the target device to host the agent (and therefore the secondary distribution server) is determined by one of these criteria: the target with the highest CPU performance, the target with the largest memory capacity, or a target that has been pre-configured with a higher priority by a user. The management server uses the resource information to make this determination.
5. The multicast distribution system according to claim 1 , characterized in that the primary distribution server is built and operated on a same computer as the management server.
In the multicast distribution system, the primary distribution server and the management server are running on the same physical computer. This simplifies the network architecture by consolidating the functions of management and primary distribution into a single server.
6. The multicast distribution system according to claim 1 , characterized in that the distribution server connecting unit is provided in each of the plurality of targets except for the target in which the agent is provided.
In the multicast distribution system described in the claims above, every target device in the secondary segment has a "distribution server connecting unit" for establishing a connection to the active secondary distribution server, *except* for the target device on which the agent is running. The target running the agent does not need to establish an external connection to the secondary distribution server because the server runs locally on the target.
7. The multicast distribution system according to claim 1 , wherein the multicast distribution unit repeats, up to last divided data, a process of sequentially acquiring divided data, which is obtained by dividing distribution data, from the data storage server, temporarily retaining the data, and then distributing the data to the plurality of targets by multicast.
The multicast distribution system described previously transfers data in segments. The secondary distribution server acquires a portion of the total data from the data storage server, temporarily stores it, and then multicasts this portion to all connected target devices. This process is repeated for each data segment until all data has been transferred.
8. The multicast distribution system according to claim 1 , wherein the multicast distribution unit acquires all the data distributed from the data storage server, temporarily retains the data, and then distributes the data to the plurality of targets by multicast.
The multicast distribution system, as described previously, operates by having the secondary distribution server acquire the *entire* data set from the data storage server, storing it temporarily, and then multicasting the complete data set to all target devices. This approach contrasts with segmented transfer (Claim 7) by transferring the whole file at once.
9. The multicast distribution system according to claim 1 , characterized in that the router is a router not supporting multicast.
The multicast distribution system works with routers that *do not* support native multicast functionality. This is important as it allows the system to be deployed in network environments where multicast-enabled routers are not available, implementing multicast-like functionality despite this limitation.
10. A multicast distribution method, comprising: providing a primary segment, in which a management server, a first distribution server, and a data storage server are disposed, and a secondary segment, in which a plurality of targets connected to the primary segment via a router are disposed; assigning each of the plurality of targets to a plurality of secondary distribution servers disposed in a network and each of the plurality of targets is assigned to one of the plurality of secondary distribution servers; providing each of the plurality of secondary distribution servers with an agent program that enables each secondary distribution server to process multicast communication by receiving an activation request; building and operating an agent in any one of the plurality of targets disposed in the secondary segment; receiving, by the management server, a multicast distribution request to transmit an activation request to the plurality of agent programs in the plurality of secondary distribution servers; transmitting a distribution server activating command from the management server to the agent and transmitting a distribution server activating file in response to a request from the agent so as to build and activate one of the secondary distribution servers on the target; transmitting a command to establish connection with the one of the secondary distribution servers to the plurality of targets except for the target, in which the agent is provided, when the management server receives an activation completion notification from the secondary transmission server; acquiring and temporarily retaining data from the data storage server when connection to all of the plurality of targets is confirmed by each of the secondary distribution servers and then distributing the data to the plurality of targets by multicast; and confirming whether each of the agent program of the each of the plurality of secondary distribution server is activated; and receiving by the management server the multicast distribution request, the management server transmitting the activation request, confirming all of the plurality of secondary distribution servers are activated, and requesting the first distribution server to distribute data by multicasting.
A method for distributing data to multiple target devices on a network using multicast. This method involves a primary network segment (management server, primary distribution server, data storage server) and a secondary segment (target devices connected via a non-multicast router). Each target device is assigned to a secondary distribution server. Each of the plurality of secondary distribution servers is provided with an agent program that receives an activation request and process multicast communication. An agent program runs on one target device within the secondary segment. The management server receives a multicast distribution request and sends an activation request to agent programs in all secondary distribution servers. The management server sends a distribution server activation command (and file) to the agent to build/activate a secondary distribution server on the associated target. After activation, the management server instructs the other target devices to connect to this server. Each secondary distribution server acquires data from the data storage server once all targets have connected, and then multicasts the data to them. The method also confirms the activation status of each agent program. The first distribution server can also be used to distribute data by multicasting once all the secondary distribution servers are activated.
11. The multicast distribution method according to claim 10 , wherein the building and activating the one of the secondary distribution servers, the management server registers and manages agent management information representing the target, in which the agent is built, for each of one or a plurality of the secondary segment, recognizes the target, in which the agent is built, according to the agent management information when a multicast distribution request is received, and transmits the distribution server activating command to the target.
The multicast distribution method includes registering and managing agent management information representing the target where the agent is running, for each secondary network segment. When a multicast distribution request is received, the management server uses this information to identify that target and send the distribution server activation command to it.
12. The multicast distribution method according to claim 11 , wherein in the one of the secondary distribution servers activating, when the agent is present on a plurality of the targets disposed in the secondary segment, the target, which is autonomously determined based on exchange of information of the plurality of targets, is registered and managed in the agent management information, which is provided in the management server, as a transmission destination target of the distribution server activating command.
The multicast distribution method includes a step where, if multiple targets within the secondary segment could potentially host the agent, the method registers and manages a dynamically chosen target. The target is chosen automatically based on information exchanged among the targets themselves.
13. The multicast distribution method according to claim 12 , wherein in the one of the secondary distribution servers activating, the target having highest CPU performance, the target having a highest memory capacity, or the target having a highest priority set by a user in advance is determined as the transmission destination target of the secondary distribution server activating command.
When activating the one of the secondary distribution servers with the multicast distribution method, the selection of which target device to use for hosting the agent/secondary distribution server is based on the target having either the highest CPU performance, the largest memory capacity, or a user-configured priority setting.
14. The multicast distribution method according to claim 10 , characterized in that the first distribution server is built and operated on a same computer as the management server.
The multicast distribution method is characterized in that the primary distribution server is built and operated on the same computer as the management server.
15. The multicast distribution method according to claim 10 , wherein the distribution server connection is provided in each of the plurality of targets except for the target in which the agent is provided.
The multicast distribution method includes establishing distribution server connections on all the target devices *except* for the one on which the agent program is running.
16. The multicast distribution method according to claim 10 , wherein sequentially acquiring divided data, which is obtained by dividing distribution data, from the data storage server, temporarily retaining the data, and then distributing the data to the plurality of targets by multicast is repeated up to last divided data.
The multicast distribution method distributes data in segments by repeatedly acquiring a portion of the total data from the data storage server, temporarily storing it, and multicasting it to the targets. This process repeats until the last data segment is processed.
17. The multicast distribution method according to claim 10 , wherein all the data distributed from the data storage server is acquired, temporarily retained, and then distributed to the plurality of targets by multicast.
The multicast distribution method transfers the *entire* data set from the data storage server, temporarily stores it, and then multicasts the complete data to the target devices.
18. The multicast distribution method according to claim 10 , wherein a router is a router not supporting multicast.
The multicast distribution method operates on a network with routers that *do not* support multicast functionality.
19. A network distribution system distributing data to a plurality of targets, comprising: a network comprising a primary segment, in which a management server, a first distribution server, a plurality of secondary distribution servers and a data storage server are disposed, and a secondary segment, in which the plurality of targets connected to the primary segment via a router are disposed; a plurality of secondary distribution servers disposed in a network and each of the plurality of targets is assigned to one of the plurality of secondary distribution server, each of the plurality of secondary servers including an agent program that enables each secondary distribution server to process multicast communication by receiving an activation request; and a management server configured to receive a multicast distribution request, to transmit the activation request to the plurality of agent programs in the plurality of secondary distribution servers, and to confirm with each of the agent programs whether the each of the plurality of secondary distribution server is activated; a multicast distribution unit provided in each of the secondary distribution servers, acquiring and temporarily retaining data from the data storage server when connection to all of the plurality of targets is confirmed, and then distributing the data to the plurality of targets by multicast, wherein when the management server receives the multicast distribution request, the management server transmits the activation request, confirms all of the plurality of secondary distribution servers are activated, and requests the first distribution server to distribute data by multicasting.
A data distribution system for multicasting data to multiple target devices, involving a primary network segment with a management server, a first distribution server, secondary distribution servers, and a data storage server. The secondary segment consists of target devices connected via a router. Each target is assigned to a secondary distribution server. Each secondary server has an agent program allowing multicast upon activation. The management server receives distribution requests, activates agent programs in secondary distribution servers, and verifies their activation. Each secondary distribution server acquires data from the data storage server when all targets are connected and then multicasts to them. Upon receiving a multicast distribution request, the management server confirms secondary distribution servers are activated and instructs the first distribution server to multicast.
20. A multicast distribution method, comprising: providing a primary segment, in which a management server, a first distribution server, and a data storage server are disposed, and a secondary segment, in which a plurality of targets connected to the primary segment via a router are disposed; assigning each of a plurality of targets to a plurality of secondary distribution servers disposed in a network and each of the plurality of targets is assigned to one of the plurality of secondary distribution servers; providing each of the plurality of secondary distribution servers with an agent program that enables each secondary distribution server to process multicast communication by receiving an activation request; receiving, by a management server, a multicast distribution request to transmit an activation request to the plurality of agent programs in the plurality of secondary distribution serves; acquiring and temporarily retaining data from the data storage server when connection to all of the plurality of targets is confirmed by the secondary distribution servers and then distributing the data to the plurality of targets by multicast; confirming whether each of the agent program of the each of the plurality of secondary distribution server is activated; and receiving by the management server the multicast distribution request, the management server transmitting the activation request, confirming all of the plurality of secondary distribution server are activated, and requesting the first distribution server to distribute data by multicasting.
A method for multicasting data to multiple target devices. The method involves a primary network segment with a management server, a first distribution server, and a data storage server. The secondary segment has target devices connected via a router. Each target is assigned to a secondary distribution server. Each secondary server contains an agent program which is enabled to process multicast communication by receiving an activation request. The management server receives distribution requests and transmits activation requests to the plurality of agent programs in the plurality of secondary distribution servers. Each secondary distribution server acquires data from the data storage server after all targets are connected and then multicasts the data. The method confirms whether each agent program is activated. The first distribution server is used to distribute data via multicasting when the management server confirms all secondary distribution servers are activated.
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December 30, 2009
August 13, 2013
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